House GOP Divisions on Border Bill Delay Vacation

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republican leaders are struggling to round up votes from wary conservatives for a bill dealing with the immigrant surge at the U.S.-Mexico border. That's so they can head home for the five-week summer break boasting of acting to address the crisis.

In a surprising setback, the leadership on Thursday was forced to abandon a vote on the slimmed-down $659 million measure. Then they huddled with GOP members to figure out a way to secure passage of a bill making it easier to deport tens of thousands of unaccompanied children from Central America flooding into the United States.

Republicans plan to meet again Friday. Even if House leaders prevail, the Senate blocked its version of the border bill late Thursday, meaning no measure heads to President Barack Obama's desk.